SA/ CB Cooper DeJean Prospect Deep Dive: How Will The NFL Use The Versatile Stud?

Cooper DeJean has received a ton of early first-round hype, and while I initially backed off of it, I can see where it’s coming from now. He’s this uber-versatile defender who can practically play anywhere besides the D-Line. I went into the evaluation expecting to see him mostly in the Slot but he actually played mostly outside Corner. We’ll get into what role he fits best later on, but just know he can play several positions at a high level. He put up impressive coverage stats over the past two years, and teams clearly tried to avoid him in 2023. Is a ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ more valuable than some of these prospects with elite traits? We’ll try to answer that and also find out where he best fits in the NFL.

Five all-22 games and his highlights were evaluated, and clips from his film are broken down here. All relevant traits were graded based on his film. His scouting report also factored in stats and analytics, such as PFF grades. Use promo code TREYSCHNEIDER on Underdog Fantasy to match your deposit up to $100. Please gamble responsibly and leave your feedback on Twitter @FBIntellect.

DB Stats

Film Analysis

Cooper DeJean shows decent fluidity and terrific ball skills in the clip above. He’s in man and does a good job of not over-biting on the inside move from the Receiver. He then showed a solid change of direction and closed on the ball with excellent timing and burst.

DeJean is in press-man again and does a good enough job to force the QB to look off his first read. You have to love the physicality at the top of the route stem.

Here, he shows he had the long speed to hold up vertically. He’s one-on-one in press-man coverage and shows excellent physicality in phase to break the ball up.

In this clip, DeJean does a fantastic job reading the QBs eyes and bailing his zone. He’s in a deep third zone, recognizes the route immediately, and breaks on it to make the pick.

Grades

OVR Grade: 1-100

Traits/ Skills

(Grades are subject to change until draft day.)

Cooper DeJean’s Pros and Cons

Cooper DeJean Bio

• Cooper DeJean is the perfect big Nickel Corner as he is physical in run defense and thrives in shallow zones. His top-end speed also gives him the potential to be a damn good Safety.

Pros

• When he gets going, he has tremendous long speed, giving him the potential to be a single high FS. Rarely gets beat deep.
• Able to properly communicate in match coverage and flourished in that area.
• Doesn’t let his eyes fool him; fantastic instincts.
• Top-notch physicality at the top of the route and the catch point.
• Phenomenal ball skills, especially in man; aggressive in phase.
• Feisty tackler who can make big hits.
• Size and strength allow him to shed blocks from Receivers with ease.
• Exceptional pressing ability gives him the flexibility to play on the outside occasionally.
• Takes excellent angles on the ball.
• Opposing teams feared him in coverage, and he allowed under a 38 passing rating while targeted.
• Has special-teams value.

Cons

• Doesn’t flip his hips too well and lacks change of direction ability.
• Gives up too much of a cushion in deep zones.
• Will likely never be a full-time outside Corner due to stiffness.
• Had a season-ending injury and wasn’t able to participate in drills at the combine.

Combine

40 yd:

Ten yd:

Shuttle:

Three cone:

Broad Jump:

Vertical:

Bench:

Arm length: 31 1/8″

Hand Size: 9 5/8″

Pro Day

40 yd:

Ten yd:

Shuttle:

Three cone:

Broad Jump:

Vertical:

Bench:

Arm length:

Hand Size:

All-22 Exposures:

• Michigan, 2022
• Michigan State, 2023
• Northwestern, 2023
• Wisconsin, 2023
• Purdue, 2023

Final Conclusion on Cooper DeJean

It’s obvious Cooper DeJean can play anywhere in the secondary, but where will his skillset be maximized? I see his skillset being used best in the Slot or as a hybrid SS. He is remarkable in match coverage considering he’s so big, and would be a great Slot because he’s such a good run defender. If you plan on putting him on the outside, I don’t think he has the best upside, as he’s just a good overall athlete and not incredible. His lack of agility and fluidity will catch up to him on the outside. He’s the type of defender you want playing in shallow zones or manned up against a TE. That said, if you want him to play Free Safety or outside Corner in a pinch, he’ll still do a good job.

You could argue he should be a true first-rounder just based on the sole fact he can competently play several positions. However, he simply doesn’t grade out well on the scale for CB and isn’t this perennial all-pro at Safety either. I just wouldn’t want to spend a top-15 pick on someone I know will inevitably play a position that’s easy to find. For teams like Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, and Green Bay, it’s absolutely worth considering spending their first on him. I have a feeling he will succeed, and I overall love him. I just push back on the top-ten hype some people have given him.